ATLANTIC CITY, NJ — The Iona University women's basketball team fell to No. 8 Rider in the 2024 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Championship opening round on Tuesday morning. The Gaels held a two-point advantage in the first half but were upended by a fourth quarter charge by the Broncs at Jim Whelan Boardwalk Hall.
 
Graduate student Sierra DeAngelo scored a game-high 23 points on 8-of-16 shooting to go with a game-high seven rebounds. Junior Ella Fajardo added 13 points along with four rebounds and two assists. The Maroon & Gold conclude the 2023-24 season with a 11-19 record overall and 6-14 mark in MAAC play.

GAME SUMMARY

With the morning start time both teams sparked back and forth action early, trading baskets to kick off the game and tournament. Rider created separation with a 7-0 run to take an 11-5 lead at the 6:21 mark in the quarter. Iona broke up the run with a 5-0 spurt on a driving layup by Fajardo and another triple from DeAngelo to cut the deficit to one. The Broncs extended the lead on back-to-back baskets before the Gaels utilized a 6-0 run led by DeAngelo and graduate student Natalia Otkhmezuri to make it a one-point game with 1:08 left. A closing stretch with back-to-back three-pointers gave Rider the 21-16 lead after one.
 
Iona began the second quarter with a 6-2 run on baskets by DeAngelo, Otkhmezuri and sophomore Noa Givon to cut the deficit to one, 23-22. Rider responded with a pull up jumper, but the Gaels answered with a triple by sophomore Ale Civera to knot the game at 25-25. A pair of free throws by Givon gave Iona back the lead with 4:59 left in the half. Rider would tie it back up with 2:38 to go. DeAngelo recorded her 14^th point of the opening half to end the quarter on a driving layup and give the Maroon & Gold a 31-29 lead into halftime.
 
The Gaels had momentum to start the third quarter utilizing an 8-2 run paced by four points from Fajardo for 39-31 lead with 6:09 left to go. Rider woke up with an 8-0 run to knot things back up at 39-39 at the 3:18 mark and forced the Gaels to take a timeout. The scoring slowed from there as both teams hit jumpers in the final 35 seconds to bring the score to 41-41 as the game headed into the final quarter.
 
Rider created separation with a 13-2 start to the final quarter to take a 54-43 lead with 5:43 left to play. The closest Iona would get was eight, on a pair of free throws by Fajardo with 2:35 to go. The Broncs continued to hold serve in the final minutes to take the 66-56 victory.

IONA PERFORMERS

• DeAngelo recorded her 20^th double-digit scoring effort of the season, finishing the game with 23 points on 8-of-16 shooting. She also pulled down a game-high seven rebounds to go with two assists and a steal.
• Fajardo posted 13 points on 5-of-9 shooting and registered four rebounds and two assists.

THE OPPONENT

• Rider had four scorers finish in double figures for the game.
• All-MAAC Second Team honoree, Taylor Langan recorded 13 points, seven rebounds and four assists and two steals.
• Sanaa Redmond also finished with 13 points on 6-of-9 shooting along with four rebounds and four assists and two steals.
• Molly Lynch and Mariona Cos-Morales both added 10 points for the Broncs.

TEAM STATS

• Rider shot 50.9% for the game including a 90% clip from the field in the pivotal fourth quarter. The Gaels were held to a 36.5% mark from the floor.
• Both teams shot under 30% from distance with four made triples. The Broncs shot 28.6% while Iona shot 25%.
• The Gaels held the advantage on the rebounding battle, 33-28.
• Iona committed 17 turnovers to Rider's 12 turnovers.

NOTABLE NUGGETS

• DeAngelo concludes her collegiate career with 1139 career points and 535 rebounds in 134 games played.
• Otkhmezuri ends her collegiate career with 704 career points, including 126 made three pointers to go with 204 rebounds.
• Iona has squared off against Rider six times now at the MAAC Championships, both teams have earned three wins.
• The Gaels now hold a 34-27 lead in the all-time series with the setback.